Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Top 10 Dragon Movies...and a Book...with Cheese

Are you a fantasy fan?

I grew up on dragons, unicorns, and elves. They lived in my head and danced across the pages I read or drew. They fed my imagination and kept me from dwelling on the sour, depressing, or down moments of life. Ten of the best dragons movies ever in no particular order (most of which you've probably not heard about):


And because we need a little cheese...

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Now how about a DRAGON giveaway?

Last week Anna Simpson shared with us WHITE LIGHT, along with two truths and a lie. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win signed bookmarks and a charm bracelet.

The Game:

1. I had over 50,000 movies on videotape in my basement. Due to mold and obsolete equipment, my wife and I recently rented a huge dumpster just to haul the tapes away.
2. Fifteen years ago I was in an alternative/rock/country-funk/performance art/comedy band. I wore pajamas and slippers for every show. My character was a sort of demented hillbilly who toted around a saxophone, but rarely played it.
3. I have webbed toes. But it's a bonus, because in high school gym, I was a championship swimmer. Shoes are hard to fit, though. I have to have them special ordered from WebsRUs.

The lie: #3.

Way to guess everyone! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...


Congrats!

And now for this week's feature... 

Allyson fights acne, not trolls. As an inhaler-carrying member of the asthma society, she just wants to meet the father who turned her mother into a paranoid, move-across-the-nation freak. Now she’s trying to fit in at yet another school, but for the first time in her life, she has a best friend, Beth. When Allyson accidentally spits fire at kidnappers in the mall, she realizes why her father isn’t in the picture: she’s half dragon. Her acne? Emerging scales. Her asthma? The side effects of her dragon's fire breath. Instead of freaking out, unflappable Beth reveals her own troll heritage and explains how things work with the supernatural creatures hiding within the modern world of smartphones and skyscrapers. 

When trolls kidnap a unicorn, Beth gets blamed. Allyson is determined to prove Beth’s innocence and keep her friend off the unicorn chopping block. When they start looking for the kidnappers, they get a call from the last person they expect: Allyson’s father. He tries to warn them off, but he's been put under a spell by the kidnappers to keep the victims from escaping. Nothing short of death can stop him. Now Allyson must choose between killing the father she’s always dreamed of, or letting her best friend die for a crime she didn’t commit.
Get your copy HERE.

Ready to meet the author?

Living as a muggle has brought Rena some levels of success, such as procuring a master’s degree from a well vetted university, but always the stories returned, calling her to the keyboard in the dark of night. Now, having built armies from words, Rena has set her sights on world domination, one book at a time.

From her secret base in the wine country, Rena has enlisted the help of her cats, her loyal dogs, and her family―who can be relied upon to hide the launch codes at a moment’s notice. You can find Rena at her blog, follow her on Twitter, or find her on Facebook. Her debut novel, Acne, Asthma, And Other Signs You Might Be Half Dragon just released with Curiosity Quills. You can find it here on Goodreads, or buy it here!

Rena gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to an eBook! (Open Internationally.)

You have until Monday, February 1 at 1 a.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answers on February 1, 8 a.m EDT.
TRUTH OR LIE

1. I once wore the Hope Diamond. I was working at the Smithsonian for my master's degree, and the Hope Diamond was just being put back into its setting after being scanned for a documentary to see if it was possible to get the Hope and another diamond from the Cul de Mar. They were about to shine up the diamond and they were letting the resident scientists wear the diamond. It was surreal.
2. One time, a person fell out of the sky into the middle of a field trip I was leading. Then, he flew away.
3. I once pulled a matched pair of black pearls from an oyster at a pick'a'pearl. But first, I told the guy running the kiosk that I couldn't buy one because I would pull a pair of matched, black pearls, and that would blow his mind. He said he didn't believe me, and the rest is history.

So sleuths, which is the lie? Do you love dragons? What's your favorite dragon movie? Book? Have you seen any of these?

68 comments:

  1. I'm going to say the third one's the lie. (Because I think there's a twist to the second one.)
    Seen most of those movies. I'm sure the Dungeons and Dragons one is the book, because the movie wasn't very good...

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  2. I love movies/books with dragons. How To Train Your Dragon is my current favorite dragon movie.

    I want to say #3 is the lie. Like Alex, I think there's a twist to the second. At least I hope there is. Otherwise, that's terrifying. :)

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  3. We loved the How to Train Your Dragon movie at our house! I can't believe he had to throw away over 50,000 tapes! Changing technology is a good and bad thing for sure.

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  4. We got neverending story from the library over the weekend when we were snowed in. The boys had never seen it before.

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  5. Dragons are some of my favorite people, umm, animals. They're so exciting to read about. Rena's book sounds great.
    I'm thinking #3 is the lie.

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  6. I'm guessing #2 is the lie. Love the cover for your book, Rena! Congrats!

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  7. Those are the craziest choices I've ever seen but I'm picking the least insane one, #1, as the lie.
    Good luck, Rena, with your book.

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  8. I don't remember being so into dragons and fantasy when I was a kid, although I did see and enjoy The Neverending Story.

    Those pics are hilarious! Made me laugh out loud. :)

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  9. I'm a fan of Tolkien's dragons, myself :-)
    I'd say 3 is the lie!

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  10. oooh, that's a gorgeous cover!!! I'm going for #2 as the lie... :P

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  11. I love the dragon trying to blow out his candles! I'm guessing #3 is the lie too.

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  12. I remember Dragonslayer!! I saw it in the theaters. Yes, I realize I am giving away my age when I say that. I loved it, but Siskel and Ebert slammed it. (Yup, giving away my age there, too.)

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  13. I'm guessing number three is a lie, because there's got to be more to the story with number two... Sounds like a great read!

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  14. I actually recognized a lot of those movies—feeling proud of myself! :) I LOVE The Neverending Story. It was one of my absolute favorites as a kid.

    I'm gonna guess the lie is #2. Love the cover and premise! Congrats to Rena! :)

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  15. Hi Crystal - I never got into dragons et al as a kid - or now .. though I quite enjoy seeing dinosaur bones.

    # 1 is the lie ...

    Cheers Hilary

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  16. Anne McCaffrey's The White Dragon got me into reading in the 70s

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  17. Omg, that dragon picture is the best!! ^_^

    Half Dragon sounds awesome!! Pick me! :P I'm going with #3 for the lie, hoping for an interesting twist to the flying man.

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  18. I'll go with number 2 as the lie, but honestly they all sound like lies so I have no idea.

    I just watched The Never Ending Story with my daughter a few weeks ago. Great movie!

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  19. I'm going with #2, but these all sound tricky.

    That baby picture is absolutely darling.

    Half dragon sounds great. I love the cover.

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  20. Thanks!

    You know, I love dragons, but I've never once written a story that includes them. I wonder why?

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  21. Oooh, dragons! This looks like an awesome read!

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  22. I'm guessing #2 is the lie.

    I love dragons. My favorite dragon will probably always be Mr. Dragon, from the classic Mac game The Manhole. The updated version in color just isn't the same as the trippy black and white original, and Mr. Dragon doesn't feel the same as his original incarnation.

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  23. I'm going to say that #2 is the lie. My favorite dragon movie is the 1996 fantasy Dragonheart. I would've said Willow (starring Val Kilmer) but the two-head monster that appeared during the battle at the castle of Tir Asleen wasn't really a dragon. Talking about Willow is making me nostalgic. Feel like watching it again. Good thing I have the DVD.

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  24. Cheese goes with most anything, even dragons. :) Nice to meet Rena, thanks for the intro. Happy Wednesday!

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  25. :( I've only seen three of the movies you listed. Clearly I need to brush up on my dragon watching!

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  26. Congratulations to SP Bowers for winning! All I'll say is congratulations to the two authors and thanks for the tribute to dragons. I love dragons!

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  27. I love dragons in books and films, although I am not sure how I would react when faced with a real one! Hugs, Valerie

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  28. I love dragons in books and films, although I am not sure how I would react when faced with a real one! Hugs, Valerie

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  29. No Reign of Fire? That was a pretty good dragon movie. Can't go wrong with dragons indeed.

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  30. Unicorns were my favorite. Have you ever read Into the Land of the Unicorns?

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  31. Congratulations to Rena! Stunning cover. Guess I'm not much of a dragon fan. I haven't seen any of those movies. As a kid, I was crazy about horses. I read everything and anything with a horse in it.

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  32. Our daughter has always enjoyed fantasies, so we saw a number of dragon movies to make her happy. You left one out: "Pete's Dragon." (I loved it when the big ol' dragon would screw up his face, all scary-like, and then say a cute little, "Boo!")I just finished reading Eric Price's "Unveiling the Wizards' Shroud" (which I won right HERE!) and it was the first book containing a dragon that I've read in a looooooong time. I loved his descriptions of the dragon, too.

    Okay, onto the truth/lie thingie. For some reason, with #2, I visualized the guys with big wings running around a field on the old Benny Hill Show. Um, probably before your time. (sigh) Okay, I'll shut up. I think #3 is the lie.

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  33. Rena's book sounds awesome! I'm a big dragon fans (more in books that movies). My favourite dragons are the ones inhabiting PERN (Anne McCaffrey).

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  34. My head was in fantasies as a kid too. I've seen some of these movies too.

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  35. Wow, those are all pretty fantastic stories - I can't imagine any of them being true. I'll go with #3 as the lie.

    These are so much fun, Crystal! :)

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  36. Of course, #1 is the lie.
    I don't read Dragon stories but my grandson does>
    JB

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  37. Congrats to Rena! It looks like a winner:)

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  38. I'll guess #2 is the lie.

    Gotta love the dragon in Shrek!

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  39. OK, I'm going to bite and say #2 is the lie.

    I've seen most of those dragon movies. The Ever-Ending Story... I now call it that due to a faulty screening. I think the film broke like three times.

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  40. My son was a dragon when he was a baby. That costume is adorable!

    I'm going to take a wild guess (because I'm never right). #3

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  41. I've loved dragons since I first read Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey. Some fun choices there. Interestingly, I liked the film of HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON better than the book. I didn't like Toothless at all in the book.

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  42. Well, I grew up of spaceships and aliens, but the name of the game was still escapism :)

    So glad you included How to Train Your Dragon, and I wouldn't have even thought of Shrek, but yeah. Both wonderful family movies.

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  43. One of my early jobs was as secretary to the Book Buyer for a national bookshop chain, and on my first day I was given a copy of Dragonsinger by Anne McAffrey that had been sent by the publisher. Since then, I've always had a fondness for dragons and fire lizards.

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  44. Rena's book has such a lovely cover!
    HOLLYWOOD SPY was the first site to write about MERLIN and promote it many years ago in the USA :) We were one of their leading support sites.
    Oooh, and I actually translated ERAGON for the readers in my country. Paolini is such a poor poor writer when it comes to structure, I thought I'd die translating the last book in the series, it has like 900 pages in Word.

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  45. I love dragon movies. The NeverEnding Story is one of my favorites. I haven't seen it in years.

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  46. Wizard of Earthsea was my favorite as a kid.

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  47. I never really read fantasy books about dragons when I was young, but I loved the SciFi Pern series by McCaffrey. She was a wonderful writer! Congrats to SP on the book win!

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  48. Dragons, unicorns and elves seem good to me!
    Ohh I don't know which to go with . . . I'll say #1 is the lie.

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  49. I think that if I found out that I was half dragon, it would've made me feel a lot better about my teenage acne! :)

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  50. I never read Dragon stories. I was more into horses and little girl stories like, Anne of Green Gables and Little Women.

    I'm going to go with #1 as the lie- just because I expect the fantastic stories to be true. This is Rena, you know ;)

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  51. My favorite book with a dragon is The Hobbit. I like the synopsis of Rena's story, it sounds interesting and different. I'm going to guess #2 is the lie.

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  52. I'm going to guess that #2 is the lie. (I really hope #1 is real, though it would make me so jealous--I love the Hope Diamond.)

    BTW, the book sounds wonderful!

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  53. I've returned here three times now - these dragons are fabulous!!!

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  54. Thank you so much for hosting my book, Crystal! I love everyone's guesses about the lie!

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  55. Hiya Crystal. Thanks for sharing the cute dragons! And for hosting Rena...and for the cheese!

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  56. i love how the symptoms she has end up being symptoms of a dragon! how clever!

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  57. Yay for dragons! And congrats to Rena! Wow... umm, they lie is #1. That is a tough one this week! Have a great weekend. :)

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  58. Love the dragon birthday cake cartoon LOL.

    Geez, this is the hardest truth or lie I can remember. I am going to say #3 is the lie. Congratulations to Rena!

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  59. Dragon Heart is my favorite dragon movie. :-)

    I think... #1 is the lie. The Hope diamond is really, REALLY fragile, so I can't imagine someone taking that sort of risk.

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  60. I'm going with 3 as the lie, because in 2, being in the middle of a field trip could mean an acid trip, in which you might just see a person fall out the sky and fly away. lol

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  61. This is definitely one of the toughest contests - I'm going with #3.
    I love the way her symptoms become her dragon traits. :)

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  62. I love dragons! I'd have to say my favorite book with a dragon is The Hobbit. One dragon movie I like is Dragon Lance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight, based on the D&D book series. I liked the books pretty well, too.
    Love the snowman and baby dragon photos!

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  63. I love dragons! I've seen most if not all of the movies you've listed here, and each one has managed to make me cry ha! My absolute favorite dragon in life thus far has to be Smaug <3 both in book and movie :)

    I'm going to go out on a whim here and say that #2 is a lie *crossing fingers*

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  64. Congrats to S.P. I think 2 is the lie.

    I don't read or watch many dragon things, but I do like them.

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  65. Love dragons too:) I'm going to say #2 is fabricated:)

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  66. I love dragon movies and books. I have seen many of the movies you listed- but I still have a few of them to look forward to. :) I hope to read and watch Eragon soon. Love, love, love The Neverending Story.

    SP's book sounds intriguing and her truths and lies are tricky. I am guessing the lie is #1.
    ~Jess

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  67. I've always loved dragons too! Never scary, just fascinating!

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  68. I love dragons, and I actually have seen/heard of most of those movies. And I'm with Pat, give me Reign of Fire. That one was great.

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Hit me with your cheese!